Dehydrator



Jan. 2, 1923.

F. W. HARRIS.

DEHYDRATOR.

ORIGINALFILED SEPT. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

ooonll F. W. HARRIS.

Jan. 2, 1923.

DEHYDMTOR.l ORIGNALFILED SEPT. I8. 1919.

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Patented Jian. 2, 1923.

Lamaze smear carica.

FORD W. HARRIS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO PETROLEUM RECTI- FYING COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- TIO1\T OF CALIFORNIA.

ADEHYDRA'IOR.

Original application led September 18, 1919, Serial No. 324,686. Divided and this application filedy December 12, 1921.

To all whom t may conoermi Be it known that I FORD W. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and 5 State of California, have invented a new and useful Dehydrator, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of dehydrating petroleum emulsions. Petroleum 1o hoils as found in nature often contain water which may be arbitrarily classified as free water or trapped water. It is common practice in the art to allow the oil to stand in sumps or in tanks for the purpose of allowing the water'to settle out, and a great deal of the water found in the oil may be so separated. It is common practice in the art to designate the water which will be settled out by gravity within a few days as free water.

In addition to the free water there is often a considerable quantity.' of water in the oil which will not settle out within a reasonable time, this water being ordinarily found in the form of small or even microscopic particles or globules. This emulsified water may be conveniently designated as trapped water. There is, of course, no sharp line of demarcation between trapped water and free water, the water often being found in kall sizes of globules from the microscopically minute toparticles which are easily visible to the naked eye.

It is the object of my invention to provide an apparatus by which practically all water, whether trapped or free, may be readily removed from petroleum oils.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 324,686, filed Sept. 18, 40 1919, which is a continuation of my application, Serial No. 261,728 allowed April 15, 1919, which has resulted in Patent 1,405,121, issued Jan. 31, 1922.

Further objects and advantageslwlll 4be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, whichv are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. l is a'sectional elevation of my invention. y Y.

Fig. 2 is a plan -on line 2 2 of Fig. 1

as viewed from above. Fig. 3 is a plan on line 3-3 of Fig 1 as Viewed from above.

serial No. 521,703.

In the form of my invention illustrative l1n the drawing I provide a tank 11 having a tight bottom 12 and a tight top 13. Secured in a flange 14, near the bottom thereof, is an inlet pipe 15 which extends across the tank and is provided with a plurality of small openings 16. The flow of oil through vthe inlet pipe is controlled by a valve 17.

An outlet pipe 18 is provided at the apex of the top 13 which may be conveniently of cylindrical or conical contour. A steam coil 19 may be placed inside the tank directly above the inlet pipe 15 and a water gauge 2() may be placed on the side ofthe tank for indicating differences in oil level between planes a-a and 5 5.

Secured considerably above the plane a-a, which represents the maximum water level, is a plurality of grounded electrodes 25, the electrodes shown being fla-t plates secured on pipe members 26 carried in suitable brackets 27 fixed to the tank. All the plates 25 are mechanically and electrically connected together and form what may be termed the grounded electrode. A plurality of plates 3() are supported on pipe members 31 which are carried on insulators 32 which are in turn carried on suitable members 33 fixed to the tank. The plates 30 are mechanically and electrically connected together and form what may be termed the live electrode. The plates 30 extend downwardly parallel to and equally spaced from the plates 25, forming with the plates25 an electric field in which the dehydration is carried on.

An insulator 40 is secured in the top of the tank, this insulator being preferably formed of porcelain and being pressure tight, a conductor passing therethrough and being connected through a wire 42 with the plates 30. A transformer is provided, the high tension secondary 51 thereof being connected at one sideto the tank 11 at 52,

and at the other side to the conductor 41.`

The primary 53 of this transformer is connected to one of the Astationary contacts 54 of a safety switch This safety switch is provided with a bridging contact 56 which connects the two stationary contacts 54 together. The other contact 54 is connected to a resistance 57. The resistance 57 and the other side'58 of the primary 53 are connected to a control` switch 59 by means of which they may be connected to supply mains 60. The bridging contact 56 is operated by means of a rod 61 which passes through a stufling box 62 in the side of the tank and is operated by a oat 63, the bridging contact 56 being pulled into contact with the members 54 when the loat assumes its extreme top position. This oat is so placed that it rises to the highest part of the tank and L1tends to open the circuit Ibetween the contacts 54 at all times that the tank is not entirely filled with liquid by moving the bridge member 56.

A water outlet 70 is provided, this water outlet rising inside-a drain column 71 which is connected to a drain 72 and being provided at its upper end with a long threaded sleeve 7 3 which can be moved up and downon the pipe 70 so as to change the upper level of the sleeve 73 as shown at c-c. A valve 80 is placed in the pipe 18, by means of which pressure may be maintained on the tank 11.

T hemethod of operation of my invention is as follows:

Oil under pressure is delivered through the valve 17 to the interior of the pipe 15 and passes through the-perforationsl therein, rising through a body of water which has been placed in the bottom of the tank, the level of this water being easily observed by means of the gauge glass 20 and the height thereof being regulated by the lmembers 70 to 73 somewhere between the levels af-a and b-b, as will hereinafter be ex-y plained. This entering oil may contain both free and trapped water. The. body of water into which the oil is injected is preferably heated by means of the steam coil 19 to facilitate the separation of the free water Vfrom the oil, this separation taking place as the oil rises through the body vof water, the purposes of the perforations 16 being to finely divide the oil into a plurality of small streams from which the free water particles readily separate, attaching themselves to lthe body of water and forming a portion thereof.`4 If for any reason water alone is supplied through the valve 17 it simply be'- comes a part of the body of water in the bottom of the tank, the height of this water being automatically regulated as will hereinafter be explained.

The plates 25 and 30 are secured inside the tank at some distance'above the highest level -a which the water is allowed to reach. They are therefore at all times maintained in a body of oil which contains -little or no free water, the free water being caught and removed, as has just been explained, by the body of water in the bottom of the tank. An electric potential is maintained between these plates due to the secondary 51 of the transformer 50. This potential causes electric currents to flow through the emulsion ever the level ofthe oil in the tank falls so.

that an air space is formed in the top of the tank. In practice the safety switch 55 `is never called upon to operate except at times when the treater is being started or when some accident occurs. a

When the treater is in operation it is maintained full of pil and under some pressure by a suitable regulation of the valve 17. For the purpose of regulating the flow of water the members 70 to 7 3 are provided, the members 70 and 73 forming a continu.- ous pipe, the upper level 0 0 of. whichl can be readily regulated. As this pipe is in communication with, the water in the bottom of the tank it is at. all times filled with water and the column of water so'formed is balanced against the combined 'water and oil inside the tank and the pressure pro-A duced by the valve 80. As a result of the differences in gravity between the oil and water there is a tendency for water to overflow vor to rise above the level c-c when- Jever the water inthe tank rises above the level a-a, the level of water falling below the level 0 0 whenever the water in the tank falls below the level -b-f-b. -event that water is supplied through the pipe 15 it is automatically drawn olf through ,the pipe 70 as soon as sufficient accumulates to raise the level in the bottom of the tank to the/line af-a and the water continues 'to flow through the pipe 70 until the level falls to the line 12e-b. During the operation of the treater there is a continual precipitation of water and a' more'or less continuous drawing ofi' of the water. The' water which overflows from the top 'of the pipe 7 3 falls downwardly inside the column 71 into a. drain 72. 1 1

It will be seen that my invention differs radically from the previous art. It is a well 1 known fact that by passing an electric current through a-body of emulsion one is able to change trapped water into free water. In the patents to Frederick Gr. Cottrell, Nos. 987,114, 987,115, 987,116, 987,117 an@ 994,877, a general theory of-the action of electrical In the dehydrators is set forth. This theory is in lieve-to be merely the union of a large number of chains of trapped particles into one chain in which all or part of the individual particles may be large enough to be designated as free water.

I have further found that the principal problem in the dehydration of oil is 'to prevent the introduction of masses of free water into the field between the electrodes.

It will be noted that in my dehydrator a body of water is maintained in the bottom and all entering liquid must pass through this water. -It will be further noted that by so passing the entering liquid I am able to catch and separate free water particles and thus prevent them from getting into the' space between the electrodes.

I have further found that there is a continuous and rapid circulation around the plates 25 and 30 of my dehydratorthe oil rising rapidly through the space between the plates and passing downwardly through the space between the outside plates and the walls of the tank 11. This is due in part to the 'cooling action of theouter walls of the tank l1 which causes'a slow settling of the oil near these walls; this oil being replaced by hot oil which arises between the plates 25 and 30. The circulation is further ro` moted by the formation of gas bubbles between the plates 25 and 30 whichin rising greatly .assist in circulating the llquid.

. I have further found that any water particles which are of suiiicient size to be designated as free water seem to be caught at the lowest point of travel of the circulatmg oil, or perhaps continue to fall until they reach the body of water in the bottom of the tank. In any case I have found that it is unnecessary to provide any means for preventing the formation of water chains as set forth in the Cottrell patents, and I have further found that after la short period of operation that the body of oil above the water is largely dehydrated so that at its wo-rst it contains only -a few per cent of water.

I have further found that there is a stratication of the oil, the dry and clean oil rising to the top and passing out through the outlet 18. I have been able in actual practice with a dehydrator of this type to remove all the water but a small fraction of one per cent from a very stubborn emulsion.

-said tank; means for In the operation of all previous commercial types of dehydrators it has been common practice to dehydrate the oil in open tanks: As there is some liability of sparks passing across the top o-f the liquid in such tanks and as the mixture of oil, gas and air in the top of such tanks ishighly infiammable, a considerable number of lires have resulted and therev have been large property lo'es and some loss offlife due to the oper-y ation of these openl type dehydrators. I have found that it is entirely practical and indeed desirable to operate in closed tanks which are entirely filled with oil. It will be noted that in my dehydrator the outlet pipe is taken out of the extreme top and the safety switch 55 isprovided so that there is no potential on any parts inside the dehydrator except when it is practically filled with oil. It is therefore impossible for explosions or fires to occur.

I have further found that it is highly desirable to keep the valve partially closed for the purpose of maintalning a slight pressure upon the interior of the dehydrator. This I believe is due to the fact that there is a tendency for gas bubbles to form in the space between the plates 25 and 30 and by maintaining a pressure on the oil the formation of these bubbles is somewhat retarded.

I claim asmy invention:

l. A treater for petroleum emulsions comprising a tank; a cover closing the top of said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a vent pipe through which gases are permitted to escape from producing an electric field in said tank; and means for interrupting said field whenever the fluid pressurel is re uced in said tank.

2. A treater for petroleum emulsions comprising a tank; a cover closing the top of said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a vent pipe through which gases are permitted to escape from said tank; a live electrode lin said tank; means for producing an electric field between said electrode and said tank; and

which gases are permitted to escape from said tank; means for producing an electric field in said tank; and means for passin the emulsion to be treated through saideiiel 4. A treater for petroleum emulsions com prising a tank; a cover closing the top of said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a vent pipe through which gases are permitted to escape from said tank; a .live electrode in said tank;

means for producing a'n electric. field between said electrode and said tank; and means for passingthe emulsion to be treated throu 'h said field.

5. treater for petroleum emulsions comprising a tank; a cover closing the to-p of said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a vent pipe' through which gases are .permitted to escape from said tank; a live electrode in said tank; means for producingv an electric field between said electrode and said tank; means for 4passing the emulsion to be treated throughlsaid field; and means by which the electric current is interrupted in the event the emulsion in said tank falls below apprendetermined level.

6. A treater for petroleum emulsions comprising a tank; a cover closing the top of said tank; means for maintaininga fiuid pressure on said tank; alive lelectrode in said-tank; means for producing an electric field' between said electrode and said tank; means for passing the emulsion to be treated through said field; and means by which the electric current is interrupted in the event the emulsion in said tank falls below a predetermined level.

-' 7. A treater for petroleum emulsions com- 28th day of Novemler,

--prising a tank; a cover closing the top of said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a vent pipe through which gases are permitted to escape from said tank; a live electrode in said tank; means for producing ail electric field bei tween said live electrode and adjacent strucltgrounded to the tank; means for pass- 8. A treater for petroleum emulsions comprising a tank; a cover closing the topof said tank; means for maintaining a fluid pressure on said tank; a. live electrode in said tank; means for producing an electric field betweensaid live electrode and adjacent structurel grounded to the tank; means for passing the emulsion to be treated through said field; and meansby which the electric current is interrupted in the event the emulsion in said tank falls below a predetermined level.

In testimony whereof,a I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this ORD W. HARRIS. 

